Saint
by Kiryume
Summary: Yuuma's kindness knows no limits. (Spoilers. Slight AU. Implied sharkbaitshipping.)


_It's all right, Shingetsu. I won't let you be alone. I'll protect you for sure._

_Yuuma…Always saying things like that, how utterly silly. I can't take you along with me. It's a goodbye._

_Shingetsu!_

Vector slips from Yuuma's hand and gets pulled towards Don Thousand, his Shingetsu façade on for the last time just for the sake of seeing Yuuma's tears. No use in taking such an idiot into damnation if he won't suffer it, he thinks, and it's a reason enough to let go. Yuuma's crying for him. Yuuma's _suffering_ again because of him – and oh how it pleases Vector. Losing Shingetsu would make him grieve for a long while as his soul sank in guilt, that's what the Barian envisions in his twisted mind as he begins to smirk and-

Yuuma is the one to do it first. Though it _can't_ be. Vector rubs his eyes and the world slows down around him now that his eyes are fixed on Yuuma's face; the twisted expression is still there, and Vector can't help think that somehow they make his features more gracious. Yes, they're twisted, they're not supposed to be that way – but they're _beautiful_. Vector soon understands he's the only one witnessing since Don is too busy boasting about his newly acquired powers and Yuuma is still facing away from the other two.

The tears and kind expression return to Yuuma's face just as quick as they left and he rejoins his friends' side. Vector finally gets sucked inside of the god and his soul shredded into pieces – but before any of that happens he laughs one last time. Tsukumo Yuuma has played his game way better than anyone else and if there was ever a next time for them he would consider giving him an honest chance.

* * *

People are weak to kindness. It suffices with a warm smile and words of _hope_ and friendship to waver even the most stubborn of souls. Kamishiro Ryouga was the first one to prove Yuuma that, drawn towards him way faster than other people before him, Yuuma's charms a secure binding around his soul.

Kaito's shell broke just as easily, and Yuuma slithered in through the cracks until the core was entirely exposed and he could wrap it in trust, appreciation, and respect. It had been extremely _easy_ – it is almost amusing to him how desperate certain people are to form bonds despite denying the need for them.

Yuuma has done it over and over and it proved simple; find out what hurts, expose it, accept it and offer forgiveness to everyone whether they ask for it or not. Child's play. All of it has been so, all the souls that dedicated themselves to him were so easy to suck in he could consider the whole ordeal boring. It probably would have been so if not for Astral's appearance and all that it conveyed to his life.

Simply having people's affection isn't _enough _– that's why he was thankful to Astral to a certain limit. Such a dangerous adventure, his life on the line most of the time, there couldn't have been a better scenario for his little play. From the beginning he didn't envision it as hard, because he _knew_.

Yuuma knew that no matter who he met on his way they'd end up falling for him one way or another. He made his way to their hearts without fail, wrapped them around his little finger and had them change the course of their lives to match his. It was entertaining, he admits to himself, to watch them fall under the pressure of his 'kindness' and become his friend, his _nakama_ as he never stopped saying.

Those people reached their true use for Yuuma when they _died_ – ah yes, having those foolish ones give up their lives for his own sake was the most delicious thing of it all. They sacrificed themselves just for Yuuma, him carrying on their dreams in their minds. Again, simple idiots. So easy to manipulate and toy with, but that is how all people are in the end. Perhaps not all.

Vector was different from the others and Yuuma read 'Shingetsu' like an open book the moment he walked into the scene; another puppeteer on the scene claiming his throne and seeking to become a god yet too predictable to his misfortune. He'd let him have his fun for a while and think that Tsukumo Yuuma indeed _believed_ in Shingetsu, that Tsukumo Yuuma was nothing but a loveable idiot.

He _did_ attempt to win him too but to no avail – perhaps a part of what Vector was could read Yuuma back subconsciously and it never went through. He still won the game in the end and Vector simply is another number in his long list of victories.

Astral was the last one to give his life for him. _Defeat Don Thousand, Yuuma, Shark, _were his last words when he decided he'd rather be destroyed than Yuuma to lose his last two hundred life points during the final duel; Yuuma tried his best not to laugh because it was blatantly _hilarious._

Yuuma chuckles while gazing down at the worlds plunged in destruction and fusing with one another. Such sweet music for his ears, the cries of agonizing souls trying to escape from their imminent doom. He then realizes he's never much cared for anyone nor willed to do anything but for himself. Never _much._

With a soft clap of his hands he is brought someone into his arms and he lulls the still dormant body in its sleep. Even gods have their weaknesses, and that is his. In his plans they'd build a new world together – and then watch it _crumble_ and _fear_ – a world possibly not as complicated yet there was always a next time; Yuuma isn't the new bearer of the Numeron Code for nothing.

He kisses the sleeping temple and his kind expression isn't a fake anymore. He might, just _might_, sacrifice himself for someone. _But you'll do it for me first, isn't that right, Shark?_


End file.
